an affair that made all his foregone adventures
seem like mere boy's play. The occasion of it
was as follows: --

One morning, when Prince Theseus awoke, he
fancied that he must have had a very sorrowful
dream, and that it was still running in his mind,
even now that his eyes were open. For it ap-
peared as if the air was full of a melancholy
wail; and when he listened more attentively, he
could hear sobs, and groans, and screams of
woe, mingled with deep, quiet sighs, which came
from the king's palace, and from the streets, and
from the temples, and from every habitation in
the city. And all these mournful noises, issuing
out of thousands of separate hearts, united them-
selves into the one great sound of affliction,
which had startled Theseus from slumber. He
put on his clothes as quickly as he could, (not
forgetting his sandals and gold-hilted sword,)
and hastening to the king, inquired what it all
meant.

"Alas! my son," quoth King Aegeus, heaving
a long sigh, "here is a very lamentable matter
in hand! This is the wofulest anniversary in
the whole year. It is the day when we annually

[[41]]

p040 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p041w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p042

v?